J.J. Abrams: Leia transition from princess to general discussed

Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens

When Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives in theaters on Dec. 18, an old character will have a new title: Leia Organa, erstwhile princess, is referred to as general.

Speaking during a Sirius XM town hall on Monday, director J.J. Abrams explained that the shift in honorific was rooted in the fact that Leia simply grew up.

“I think it’s sort of like any of us, you like to think you evolve and go through life experiences and become something else,” Abrams said. “But the truth is we’re all kind of who we are. My guess is most of us would say, ‘I’m kind of the kid I was, still.’ But I also think both are true. It’s a little bit, almost a nature-nurture thing. You are who you are naturally, but as you go through life, you harden in some ways, you hopefully become more enlightened in others. Her evolution from princess to general is part of her life experience, but she’s always going to be Leia.”